Why It’s Important to Plan For Your Remodel Months Ahead of Time

Remodeling is a great way to increase your home’s value and create new spaces for your family to enjoy. When dreaming up the new warm and comfortable spaces for your family, it’s important to have a clear understanding of project timelines and take a few initial steps to avoid slowing down the project down the road. To have the best results from your remodel, planning months ahead of time is crucial. Here are some easy steps and pro-tips for planning your remodel, and why it’s important to get started ahead of time.

Design Takes Time

Design is a key element in the remodel process, because construction teams need a well thought out plan to follow when implementing renovations. It’s important to take the time to interview designers so you know what various firms have to offer. At Harjo, we are happy to partner with or recommend design-build companies, architects and interior designers. Or our in-house project managers, who have design training, can design your remodel based on your needs and budget.

Account For The Time It Takes To Find a Good Contractor

Interviewing your contractor is crucial, but this also takes a few weeks. Once you have interviewed a contractor, and they visit your home, they will get back to you with an estimate. Some homeowners will also want to visit project sites or talk to previous clients about their experience with the contractor. Rushing into hiring a contractor because you want your project done sooner can lead to poor results, so be sure to get started on your contractor search ahead of time.

Refining Plans is a Detailed Process

Many construction companies will give an estimated timeline for how long a project will take. It is crucial for homeowners to understand the impact reviewing plans, refining them, and deciding on the final plan will have how long a project will actually take. Remodeling is an investment, and we want to bring you and your family the best results. Reviewing plans, making adjustments and making decisions can elongate the design process, so accounting for some extra time in decision making is key to have a realistic project timeline.

Start Shopping Early

From tile, to fixtures, to cabinets and more, many clients fall into the trap of waiting until the last minute to choose items they’ll need for their remodel. We know that homeowners have busy lives, but often they either delay making decisions, or they don’t realize that items they like may not be within their budget. Selections may also be on backorder, and can take over nine weeks to be delivered. Vendors can also make mistakes and ship the wrong items.

We highly encourage clients to make selections early. If you need guidance finding the right items for your remodel, our team is happy to walk people through the process and offer advice on where and how they can cut back, and where it’s best to invest their money. (Read more: Where to Splurge and Where to Save in a Bathroom Remodel)

Allocate Time for Permits, if Needed

Some remodels require permits. If that’s the case for your remodel, most aspects of construction cannot begin until the correct permits have been issued. You’ll need a permit for the following types of remodels:

• When changing the use of something, for example turning a garage into a room
• When moving something, for example moving a staircase
• When there is significant sheet rocking (e.g. ceiling to floor)
• When adding new or changing electrical service or plumbing, which requires two separate permits

Detailed information about permit requirements can be found on the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections website.

Once you have all of these factors in order, you are ready to get started. To learn more about our Seattle remodeling services view our portfolio, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have a project in mind!